Section II: Premodern Advances in Technology Flashcards
What allows clay to be made into porcelain?
a kiln
What did the Romans call concrete?
opus caementicium
What are the basic materials to make Roman concrete?
lime mortar, broken stone, sand, and water
When did Emperor Trojan die?
117 CE
At its peak, the Roman Empire conquered land in how many different continents?
3
Where was concrete first created?
the ancient Near East and Etruria
What sand was used to develop Roman concrete even more to make it stronger and more stable?
pozzolana sand
What is ashlar masonry?
cut-stone construction
How were concrete vaults superior to timbered vaults?
they were fireproof and had the ability to have windows added without worsening the structural integrity of the vault
What is one of the most technologically advanced structures built by the Romans?
the Pantheon
The Pantheon was constructed during the reign of which Roman emperor?
Emperor Hadrian
The Pantheon is dedicated to which 5 planetary gods?
Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Uranus, and Mercury
The word pantheon is derived from which Greek words?
pan and theos
What do pan and theos mean?
pan - all, theos - gods
When was the Pantheon beaten for its title as the largest dome in the world?
the 16th century
What structure has the largest unreinforced dome?
the Pantheon
How big is the oculus in the Pantheon?
it is 27 feet in diameter
Oculus means what in Latin?
eye
What is an oculus?
a hole at the top of something that allows people to see through
What is the only light source of the Pantheon?
the oculus
What are coffers?
square decorative tiles on a dome that lessen the weight of a structure
What is a portico?
a porch leading to the end of something, usually shaded and held up by columns
What are pediments?
gables placed above the lintel of a door
For a visitor in Ancient Rome, what would have the illuminated circle made by the oculus represented?
the eye of Jupiter
Who is Jupiter?
the supreme celestial god ruling over all the other Roman gods and people
What did the dome and the oculus symbolize?
eternity and perfection
The Pantheon was which Roman emperor’s favorite place to hold court?
Emperor Hadrian
Where did ancient Egyptians think the afterlife was?
the Kingdom of Osiris
What is the Kingdom of Osiris?
the land of the dead
What did the Ancient Egyptians do to ensure safe passage into the Kingdom of Osiris?
they would preserve their bodies with their possessions
What is mummification?
mummification is the wrapping up of the human body for preservation
What would mummified Egyptians be stored in?
a sarcophagus
What were bodies in Ancient Egypt buried with?
their belongings and a portrait of their face
What was the function portrait that Egyptians were buried with?
it was a container that could preserve the dead’s ka in case the physical body didn’t last
What does the Egyptian word “ka” mean?
soul
How long is the process for embalming corpses?
72 days
When the Ancient Egyptians removed some internal organs for the embalming process, which internal organ did they leave?
the heart
What were Egyptian corpses packed in to help preserve the body?
natron
What is natron?
a natural compound found in Egypt that is made up of sodium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate
How many layers of linen were Egyptian corpses wrapped in?
20
Where were the internal organs of the corpse that was going to be mummified kept?
in canopic jars
What did the Egyptians replace masks of the dead with?
painted portraits
What is the encaustic technique?
where an artist mixes colored pigments and wax and applies it onto a smooth surface
What are the earliest portraits that have survived?
Fayum portraits
Where does the best evidence of the encaustic technique come from?
the region of Fayum in Egypt
Mummy with an Inserted Panel Portrait of a Youth Egypt is an example of what type of portrait?
Fayum portraits
Who is Anubis?
the Egyptian death god
Which year did a fire destroy the church at Chartres in northern France?
1194
When a fire destroyed the church at Chartres in northern France, the holy relic survived. What did officials interpret this as?
they interpreted this as a sign that Mary wanted a new church
How many windows does Chartres Cathedral have?
180
How much surface area do the windows at the Chartres Cathedral cover?
28,000 sq ft in total
At the Chartres Cathedral, blue glass is used for stories from where?
the Old Testament
At the Chartres Cathedral, rose and red glass is used for stories from where?
the New Testament
The Chartres Cathedral is an example of architecture for which time period?
the High Gothic time period
What type of window was favored by architects from the High Gothic period?
rose windows
What is the theme of the south rose window at the Chartres Cathedral?
the Glorification of Christ
What are lancet windows?
slender, pointed windows
Jar With Dragon was made during which dynasty?
the Ming dynasty
On the Jar With Dragon, where did the monstrous faces on the neck of the jar derive from?
the kirtimukha
What does kirtimukha mean?
face of glory
Where is kirtimukha often found?
Indo-Himalayan imagery
The patterns and decorations on Jar With Dragon are the influence of what?
Daoism
Who created Doaism?
Loa Zi
What is one of the first truly global consumer products in history?
blue and white porcelain
What 3 dynasties did trading ceramics last?
the Yuan, Ming, and Qing
When did the word “china” start to be used to represent fine porcelain?
the 18th century
British potters found a way to use __________ _______ instead of kaolin clay to make porcelain.
animal bones
What is porcelain made out of animal bones called?
bone china
